Itagaki quits Tecmo, sues

The man behind Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, Tomonobu Itagaki, has announced …

Hot on the heels of the release of Ninja Gaiden 2, director Tomonobu Itagaki has announced his resignation from Tecmo. Additionally, he is suing the game publisher for unpaid bonuses and emotional distress.

In a publicly released statement, Itagaki said that "I hereby announce that I have today submitted a letter of resignation to Tecmo Co., Ltd. stating that I will resign as of the 1st of July, 2008." One of Itagaki's major complaints with Tecmo seems to be a number of bonuses that the company refused to pay him.

"Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced," Itagaki explained. "However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment. President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant, telling me, 'If you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it.'"

And Itagaki's problems with Yasuda didn't end there. "In addition, he [Yasuda] made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment," Itagaki added. "...I regret the circumstances that have forced me to leave Tecmo, where I had worked for so many years, and I regret the disappointment this will cause my fans. However, I can no longer continue to work with President Yoshimi Yasuda, a man who chooses not to honor promises even when he is able to do so."

Itagaki has said in the past that after Ninja Gaiden 2 he wanted to work on something new, but this still comes as a surprise. His statement gave no indication as to what his plans are after his time at Tecmo comes to an end.